by Missourism
The upcoming general election in November will determine the occupants of five Missouri state offices, including the governor's position.
Mike Parson, who assumed the governorship in 2018 after Eric Greitens' resignation, completed that term and won a full term in 2020.
As of the new year, eight individuals have expressed intentions to run for Missouri governor, spanning four Republican, three Democratic, and one Independent candidate.
Republican contenders include Jay Ashcroft, the Missouri Secretary of State; Mike Kehoe, the Missouri Lieutenant Governor; Bill Eigel, a State Senator; and Chris Wright, an army veteran.
Democratic candidates feature Crystal Quade, the Missouri House Minority Leader; Mike Hamra, an entrepreneur; and Sheryl Gladney, a Breckenridge Hills councilwoman.
Independent candidate Larry Flenoid II, a Springfield-based politician, rounds out the list.
Jay Ashcroft, son of former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, combines engineering and legal experience. Mike Kehoe, with seven years in the Missouri Senate, succeeded Parson as lieutenant governor in 2018.
Bill Eigel, a U.S. Air Force veteran, has been a state senator since 2017. Crystal Quade, serving in the Missouri House since 2016, is the current Minority Leader. Mike Hamra, President and CEO of Hamra Enterprises, is a political newcomer.
Show Me Victories' November poll projections show a close race between Ashcroft and Kehoe within the Republican ticket, while Quade leads among Democratic candidates.
The Missouri Governor's Office has been under Republican leadership since 2017, maintaining a near-even split between GOP and Democratic rule since the start of the 21st century.